Monday Night Football Week 6: TV Schedule, Live Stream for 49ers vs. Rams

The San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams are set to close out Week 6 in the NFL with a Monday night showdown that could be closer than the records indicate.

The 3-2 49ers have to hit the road against their division rival who nearly upset the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles the last two times out. The question now is whether the 1-3 St. Louis Rams can get over that hump or if Frank Gore and the San Francisco rushing attack will prove to be too much. 

Here is a look at the game’s essentials before we dig into a preview.

49ers vs. Rams

Date: Monday, Oct. 13

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN 

Live Stream: Watch ESPN

Preview

The critical matchup in this game is the battle between the 49ers rushing attack and the St. Louis front seven, which was supposed to be impressive this season but is yet to deliver.

San Francisco is third in the NFL in rushing yards per game (entering play Sunday) and has recently gone back to the well that is Frank Gore. Gore has rewarded his team with 119 rushing yards and 107 rushing yards, respectively, in his past two outings and has helped the 49ers forget about their early struggles.

The decision to run the ball more is also the primary reason San Francisco has committed only one turnover in the past three games.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

We could see more of the same Monday because Gore has scored more career touchdowns (15) against the Rams than any other team in the NFL. In fact, he has 1,191 rushing yards and five 100-yard showings in 15 games with the Rams and gashed their defense for 153 yards and a touchdown in last year's Week 4 meeting.

The Rams have allowed an abysmal 152.5 rushing yards a game (29th in the league entering play Sunday) this year, so Gore should have plenty of running lanes.

If the Rams do commit extra defenders to the box in an effort to counter Gore, Anquan Boldin will make them pay. He has 1,326 receiving yards and seven touchdowns against St. Louis in 15 games.

Rams head coach Jeff Fisher was understandably wary of San Francisco’s entire offense, via Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group:

On the other side of the ball, quarterback Austin Davis impressed in Week 5 with 375 passing yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions against the Eagles, but the 49ers defense is much more stingy against the pass than Philadelphia's. San Francisco was fourth in the league against the pass entering play Sunday and has not allowed an opponent to crack the 200-yard passing plateau in two straight games.

Michael Perez/Associated Press

The Rams lost in heartbreaking fashion to the Cowboys after blowing a 21-point lead and then to the Eagles after nearly making a miraculous comeback of their own from a 34-7 deficit. Davis discussed how close his team has come recently, according to Stats LLC (via ESPN.com), saying, "I think we're a good football team. The record is what it is, but we're just a handful of plays away."

Monday’s game will add to that frustration.

The Rams are facing the wrong team in San Francisco if they hope to snap out of their slump against the run. Gore is on fire and the definitive focal point of the 49ers offense now, and he will get the ball early and often. He has made St. Louis pay throughout his career, and there is no reason to expect differently this time around.

This will be close, especially since the Rams have home-field advantage, but Gore is simply too much in this one. 

Prediction: 49ers 24, Rams 17

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